????公司考慮到這樣一個事實，即最成功的研發(fā)起初并不是直接針對盈利前景最好的醫(yī)療問題。基礎(chǔ)研究通常會經(jīng)歷種種波折。盤尼西林便是最有名的例子，它的發(fā)現(xiàn)完全是一個意外之喜。諾華公司新策略的目的就是找到這種意外的驚喜。公司并不是把患者群體龐大的疾病作為目標(biāo)，而是將藥品開發(fā)途徑或?qū)е录膊〉牟煌餀C(jī)制作為重點。

????這種方法已經(jīng)取得了一定的成功。例如，公司針對一系列疾病研發(fā)的藥物依維莫司（Afinitor）最初被批準(zhǔn)用于腎癌治療。但研究證明，這種藥物對于治療肺癌與乳腺癌同樣有效。將依維莫司作為治療乳腺癌的藥物，它的銷量達(dá)不到10億美元，而作為治療腎癌或肺癌的藥物，它的銷量同樣達(dá)不到10億美元。但如果將三者綜合起來，依維莫司便可以成為諾華公司新的拳頭產(chǎn)品。

????當(dāng)然這種方法有利有弊。晨星公司（Morningstar）二月份的分析師報告顯示，諾華公司具備長期良性發(fā)展的條件。但投資者必須理解，這種增長需要時間。傳統(tǒng)的尋找拳頭產(chǎn)品的策略雖然不能持久，但卻能迅速產(chǎn)生利潤。而諾華公司致力于針對患者人群較小的藥物，走了一條截然不同的道路。

????投資者往往都缺乏耐心。例如，2009年，諾華研發(fā)的藥物Ilaris獲批用于冷吡啉相關(guān)周期性綜合癥（CAPS）的治療。CAPS是一種罕見的、可能致命的自體發(fā)炎性疾病，可能導(dǎo)致發(fā)熱、發(fā)冷、骨畸形和失明。“公司許多人都說：‘你們?yōu)槭裁瓷a(chǎn)這樣一款藥物？全球只有6,000人患有這種疾病；CAPS太罕見了。’”沒有其他任何一家公司在生產(chǎn)治療這種疾病的藥物。

????而諾華公司的觀點是，在CAPS治療中的突破可以為由相同機(jī)制引發(fā)的其他疾病的治療提供思路。

????通過這種策略，諾華公司不再將賭注壓在尋找下一個巨大的突破上，例如其他競爭對手正在關(guān)注的阿爾茨海默病（俗稱老年癡呆癥）藥物。

????公司的計劃有非常明顯的優(yōu)勢。比如，諾華公司生產(chǎn)治療罕見疾病的藥物，通過藥物在不同疾病中的療效，最終可能成為公司的拳頭產(chǎn)品。即使藥物無法取得龐大的銷量，但仍可以為公司打開新的市場。

????暫且拋開商業(yè)角度不談，這種策略的一個巨大優(yōu)勢在于，它意味著諾華公司將為有需要的患者生產(chǎn)藥物，這才是醫(yī)藥公司行之有效的商業(yè)策略，盡管整個醫(yī)藥行業(yè)正在偏離這一軌道。

????畢竟，生產(chǎn)藥品才是制藥公司的本分。（財富中文網(wǎng)）

????譯者：劉進(jìn)龍/汪皓

????It takes into account the fact that, in general, effective research and development doesn't come from targeting the most profitable problems. Basic research often takes many twists and turns. The discovery of Penicillin, famously, was a happy accident. Novartis (NVS) has a new strategy to try to generate that kind of serendipity. Instead of targeting a disease with a massive patient population, the company is instead targeting pathways, or the distinct biological mechanisms that cause a disease.

????The company has seen some success with this method. It developed its drug Afinitor, for example, for with the idea to target a cluster of diseases. Afinitor was first approved to treat kidney cancer. But research demonstrated that it also works in patients with some lung and breast cancers. Sales of Afinitor for breast cancer do not add up to $1 billion, neither do sales of Afinitor as a kidney cancer or lung cancer treatment. But looking at the sales numbers combined, it makes a blockbuster.

????There are pros and cons to this method. According to a February analyst report from Morningstar, Novartis is well positioned for good long-term growth. But investors need to understand that this kind of growth can take time. The old blockbuster-finding strategy hasn't been sustainable, but it's been profitable immediately. Novartis is taking a different route through drugs that treat smaller patient populations.

????Investors aren't always willing to be patient. For example, in 2009, Novartis received approval for Ilaris, a drug that treats CAPS, a class of rare, potentially fatal autoinflammatory diseases that can cause fevers and chills, bone deformities, and loss of vision. "Many of our people said, 'Why are you designing a drug for only 6,000 people in the world; CAPS is so rare?'" No one else was making drugs to treat the disease.

????But the idea is that cracking the code to treat CAPS will lead the way to treatment of other diseases caused by the same mechanism.

????Using this strategy, Novartis will not bet the farm on finding the next massive breakthrough, such as an Alzheimer's drug, which is a tack its competitors have taken.

????But there are clear pros to the company's plan. For one, Novartis will make treatments for rare diseases that could ultimately blossom into blockbusters by virtue of their application to multiple maladies. Even the drugs that don't materialize into great sales numbers will get the company into a new market.

????And to chuck the business angle for a moment, the big-picture pro of this strategy is that it means Novartis will be making medicine for people who need it, despite the industry straying from that somewhat as an effective business strategy.

????Making drugs, after all, is what drug companies are supposed to do.